Low crossing profile delivery catheter for cardiovascular prosthetic implant

Abstract

A delivery catheter and a method for deploying a cardiovascular prosthetic implant using a minimally invasive procedure are disclosed. The delivery catheter comprises an elongate, flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end has an outer diameter of 18 French or less, a cardiovascular prosthetic implant at the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the cardiovascular prosthetic implant comprises an inflatable cuff and a tissue valve coupled to the inflatable cuff, and at least one link between the catheter body and the cardiovascular prosthetic implant.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority benefit to U.S. Provisional No. 61 / 346,390 filed May 19, 2010 and U.S. Provisional No. 61 / 411,862 filed Nov. 9, 2010, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to medical methods and devices, and, in particular, to a low crossing profile delivery catheter for percutaneously implanting a cardiovascular implant having a formed-in-place support structure.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]According to recent estimates, more than 79,000 patients are diagnosed with aortic and mitral valve disease in U.S. hospitals each year. More than 49,000 mitral valve or aortic valve replacement procedures are performed annually in the U.S., along with a significant number of heart valve repair procedures.[0006]The circulatory system is a closed loop bed of arterial and venous vessels supplyin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022]One aspect of the present invention comprises a delivery catheter for deploying a cardiovascular prosthetic implant using a minimally invasive procedure. The delivery catheter comprises an elongate, flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal portion of the catheter has an outer diameter of 18 French or less. A ca

Problems solved by technology

Patient with cardiac disease resulting in slight limitation of physical activity.

Patients with cardiac disease resulting in marked limitation of physical activity.

Patients with cardiac disease resulting in inability to carry on any physical activity without discomfort.

If any physical activity is undertaken, discomfort is increased.

Access to these sites generally include a thoracotomy or a sternotomy for the patient and include a great deal of recovery time.

Although valve repair and replacement can successfully treat many patients with valvular insufficiency, techniques currently in use are attended by significant morbidity and mortality.

Despite the many years of effort, and enormous investment of entrepreneurial talent and money, no stent based heart valve system has yet received regulatory approval, and a variety of difficulties remain.

For example, stent based systems have a fixed rigidity even in the collapsed configuration, and have inherent difficulties relating to partial deployment, temporary deployment, removal and navigation.

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